Gas producer



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,493

c. w. LUMMIS I GAS PRODUCER Filed April l9, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet l 172 716 n'l'o Z Feb. 14; 1928. 1,659,493

C. W. LUMMIS GAS PRODUCER Filed April 19, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 harleswlummis.

Feb. 14, 1928.

C. W. LUMMIS GAS PRODUCER Filed April 19, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 az'zes WLummisovney Patented, Feb. 14 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

cnmns w. Lummis, or woncnszrna, usssscnnsxr'rs, ASSIGNOR 'ro xenon 00R- szrnnc'rron COMPANY, or woncnsrna, nassaeausn'r'rs, A oonrons'rron or nassacnusnr'rs.

GAS vPBODU'G'IZII.

The present-invention relates to gas producers, and more particularly to those wherein are employed mechanical devices for procuring cpntmuou's a 'tation of the fuel ed during the gasm ng operation, and for removlng ashes from the producer.

The invention is full set forth in the following description an pointed out in the annexed claims reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch i Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a gas producer embod ing the invention.

Fig. 2 a view similar to Fig.

'trating one modification thereof.

,Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating another modification.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the structure of the blast devices 1 illusshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a portion of the producer shown 1n Fig. 2. I ike reference characters refer to like be continuously rotated at constant speed by y which is carried -by I parts in the different fi res.

Referring first to 1g. 1, the producer therein illustrated embodies the usual fuel containing shell 1,'having a depending portion 2 that is ada ted to make a seal with the water in an. pan 3, on which the bed of fuel rests; The ash pan 3 'is adapted to means of a gear 4 secured thereto and in mesh with a pinion 5 on the shaft 6 of a suitable motor or other driving device 7, said ash pan being supported for rotative movement u n a pluralityof rollers 8 or the like. e distribution of blast to the fuel bed is accomplished b a blast structure 9 tilting ash pan, and which rotates there-' with, said structure, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, providin a central blast hood 10 beneath which the last esca es and is distributed to the fuel bed in t e usual manner. As herein shown, the top of hood 10 is provided with a plurality of substantially radial, spirally disposed ribs 11, 11, which by reason of the rotation of the hood with the ash pan, exert a tendency to crowd the ash and fuel radially outward, thus materially assisting in the removal of ashes from the producer, as hereinafter described.

The shell 1 issupported independently of e center of the .ro-'

the ash pan 3 upon a plurality of rollers 12, 12, that are carried b the sup orting framework 13-of the pro ucer. T is framework supports the stationary cover section 14 of the producer, said section providing the usual exit flue 15 throu h which are led off the gases from the chem er 16 above the fuel The cover section 14 has a depending skirt 1? that dips into an annular water chamber 18 provided by the shell 1, thus form ng a water seal which allows the shell 1 to be rotated; relatively to the cover sect1on and yet prevents the escape of any gas at the joint between said sections. The cover section 14 also carries the surface agitatin devlce 19 which is here shown, by way 0 example, as a swinging leveller ada ted substantially to float on the surface 0 the fuel bed, and to change its position in response to yariations in the level thereof as fully. described in the Lummis and Isley lteissue Patent No. 16.262, dated February 16,1926.

For the purpose of making this surface agitator effective, the shell 1 is adapted to be continuously rotated, so as to bring all portlons of the fuel bed under the action of the device 19. To this end, the wheels 12 which support the shell for rotative movement are made in the form of gears, to mesh with an annular rack 20, and one ofthe gears 12 is fixed on a shaft 21 that is rotated by gears 22 and 23 from a countershaft 24. The countershaft 24 carries a friction disc 25, which is adapted to be engaged by the periphery of a friction disc 26, that rotates with a vertical shaft '27, at

right angles to the countershaft 24. The

shaft 27 is driven by caring 28 from the shaft 6 of motor 7, or in any suitable manner.

The discs 25 and 26 constitute a well known type of variable speed gearing, the disc 26 being movable longitudinally on the shaft 27 by means of a ink 29 and hand lever 30, so as to vary its position between the center and the outside edge of disc 25. In this way the speed of the latter, and hence .the speed of rotation of the shell 1, is made variable, to suit the conditions under which it is desired to operate the producer. This driving connection insures the continuous rotation of the shell 1 at a minimum speed of, for instance, four or five revoluat a slightly higher speed than the shell, for

. instance, six revolutions per hour. In this way, the actual relative movement between the ash pan and the shell is very slight, under the conditions assumed being only one revolution per hour; in other words, it is much less than'the relative rotation between the top of the fuel bed and the surface agitator 19. In consequence of this arrange ment, the agitation of the surface proceeds at the desired relatively rapid rate, while, on the other hand, the shearing action between the incandescent fuel and the ash is very much slower because the shell and the ash pan rotate in the same directions at very nearlythe same speeds.

It will be seen that this slight difference in speed is the measure of the shearing action obtainable; in actualoperation, the lever 30 can be manipulated toincrease or decrease the speed of the shell 1, and hence to vary within proper limits, the. desired slight shearing action between the ash and the superposed fuel. At the same time the rotation of the shell 1 is always at a speed adapted to obtain suflicient surface agitation by the device 19. For the removal of ashes from the pan 3, a suitable plow 31 is journalled on the central blast pipe, and normally' rotates with the ash pan and hence remainsinoperative. When alatch 32 carried by the shell 1 is introduced in the path of the plow, the latter operates in the usual manner to crowd the ashes outwardly and upwardly over the edge of the an 3, the rate of ashremoval thus effected eing consequent upon the slight diiference in speed that exists between the shell and the ash pan. Suitable automatic means, not herein shown, but fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent to J efferies, No. 1,198,037, dated September 12, 1916, may be employed for limiting the duration of action of plow 31 to one or more complete revolutions.

Relative movement between the shell 1 and the ash pan 3, resulting from the difference in speed of rotation above described, produces a very desirable shearing action or agitation in the lower part of the fuel bed.

i If the latch32 remains in inoperative position, out of engagement with the plow 31, no removal of ashes is effected, since said plow 31 will then rotate in unison with the pan 3. But when the latch 32 is lowered into the path of the.plow, said plow becomes operative to crowd the ashes outwardly in the pan, because of the difference in speed of rotation between itself and said pan. The rate of this plowing action may be increased by suitably manipulating the lever 30 to reduce the speed of rotation of shell 1, thereby mcreasing the diiference between the speed of rotation of the plow and the s eed of rotation of the ash pan. Or, if desired, the shell and the pan may be rotated at the same speed, in which case there will be no plowin th fuel, although the surface of fuel bed will be agitated as usual. It is obvious that the above described mechanism is susceptible of numerous variations within the scope of' the present invention; for instance, the shell 1, instead of the ash pan 3, may be driven at the higher speed, or as hereinafter shown, other variations in the driving of the parts may be provided.

For instance, the construction shown in Fig. 2 may be used, wherein a stationary shell 33 is provided, in combination with a slowly revolving ash pan 34, the latter having secured thereto a gear 35 in mesh with a pinion 36 on the shaft of motor 37. surface of the bed of fuel in the shell 33 is acted upon by an agitating and levelling de- The and no agitation between the ash and vice 38 which is carried by a revolving top I plate 39 of the producer. This top plate v39 makes the usual water seal 40 with the shell 33, which water seal allows for the rotation of the top plate and at the same time reventsthe escape of gases from the com tion chamber. The top plate is revolved in any suitable manner, as for instance-by a gear 41 driven from motor 42 which is supported by the top plate,'said gear travellin on a stationary annular rack 43 of the fue section.

The motor 42 is operated at suflicient speed to carry the member 38 at a fairly rapid rate overthe entire surface of the fuel bed, for instance in the neighborhood of six revolutions per hour. At the same time, the motor 37 causes rotation of the ash pan 34 at a much lower speed, as for'instance one revolution per hour. In consequence of this arrangement, the result is substantially the same as in the first described form of the invention, that is, the surface of the fuel bed is agitated at a fairly rapid rate, while only the desired slight cleavage or shearing action is produced between the ashes and the superposed incandescent fuel.

The distribution of blast in Fig. 2 is accomplished by a central hood 44 which is supplied by a blast pipe 45 carried by the revolv ng ash pan 34. ,An ash plow 46 normally inoperative and rotating with the ash pan 34, 1s adapted to be rendered operative by a suitable stop 47 carried b the stationary shell 33; the stoppage o the plow 1n the usual manner causes the ashes to be crowded upwardly over the edge of the ash pan and discharged through the removal chute 48.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 3, the shell 49 is supported for rotation on a plurality of rollers.50 only one of which is shown. Said shell carries a gear 51 in mesh with a rotating pinion 52, whose shaft is subject to speed variations from a suitable driving means, not shown, for the rotation of the shell at slow speeds,-for instance one revolutionper hour or less. The upper end of the shell 49 provides the usual water seal connection 53 with a stationary cover section 54, the latter providing a suitable journal bearin for a vertical shaft 55. The shaft 55, w ich is vertically adjustable, projects. into the combustion chamber and carries on its lower end a radial levelling and agitating member 56 for the surface of the bed of fuel. The shaft 55 is rotated in any suitable manner, as for instance, by means of a worm gear 57 secured thereto and in mesh with a worm 58; the latter is driven at a relatively high speed so as to cause a relatively rapid traverse of the surface of the fuel 'bed by the member 56, which travels at a rate of, for instance, four toten revolutions per hour.

The ashes at the bottom of the fuel bed rest on the bottom of a stationary pan 59 with which the depending skirt 60 of the rotating fuel section makes the usual water seal. The blast is introduced .to the fuel bed through a central pipe 61 that connects with the hood 62, and on said blast pipe 61 is journalled the normally stationary ash plow 63. Said plow is brought into operation by the engagement therewith of a member 64 carried by the slowly rotating fuel section, so that, as in the two previously described constructions, the ash plowing is accomplished at the slow speed of the relative rotation between the fuel section and the ash supporting member. It will be noted that this construction in the same way as the constructions of Figs. 1 and 2, affords relatively rapid agitation of the surface of the fuel bed, and at the. same time provides foronly a slight cleavage or shearin action in the lower portions of the fuel bed. 1

I claim:

1. In a, gas producer, a rotatable producer body, a rotatable ash pan in water sealing relation to the bottom of said body, said producer body and pan being relatively rotatable, and the pan having a central portion part of the producer body, and supporting.

means extending from the hood into the central part of the an.

Dated this 15t day of April, 1919.

CHARLES W. LUMMIS. 

